Tories trounce NDP by 24% margin in Ontario seat vacated by Bev Oda

Durham, Ontario federal byelection result: Conservatives regain seat

The federal Conservatives have reclaimed the central Ontario seat they lost earlier this year when cabinet minister Bev Oda resigned under a cloud.

Erin O’Toole — a former air force pilot and navy captain turned corporate lawyer — easily won today’s byelection in the riding of Durham, leaving the second-place New Democrat challenger well in his wake.

A cheer went up from Durham supporters when O’Toole hit 50 per cent of the popular vote, leaving NDP candidate Larry O’Connor with 26.8 per cent _ an improvement for the party over 2011, but still far from enough.

“That’s what you need,” one O’Toole supporter enthused as his candidate broke the magical 50 per cent barrier.

Oda, 68, stepped down in July after a series of spending and expense controversies that tarnished the Conservative brand as tight-fisted managers.

The byelection was one of three called by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to replace MPs who resigned for various reasons.

In a closely watched race unfolding in Calgary Centre, Conservative candidate Joan Crockatt was in a tight, see-saw battle against Liberal hopeful Harvey Locke, with Green party candidate Chris Turner running a close third.

In Victoria, a seemingly solid NDP seat, New Democrat candidate Murray Rankin was in a tough early battle with Donald Galloway of the Greens, with both getting support in the mid to high 30s in early counting.